Unknown Bonsai

Unknown Bonsai

Sat May 02, 2015 8:16 pm

Hello, I received my Bonsai tree as a gift more than a year ago and recently it has started to lose branches and turn brown. Upon looking for help, I found out that I don't know what tree I actually have. If anyone would like to help me and include tips for improving its condition, that would be great. I have attached a picture and would appreciate any help. Thanks!

Re: Unknown Bonsai

Sun May 03, 2015 12:42 am

That looks like a juniper to me. Trained in the "cascade" style. For starters, this is a tree that desperately needs to be kept outdoors. It is decidedly NOT an indoor bonsai. Keeping it indoors will eventually kill it.

Do a websearch on juniper bonsai & you'll find lots of dedicated sites with in-depth info on juniper bonsai. The sooner the better.

Re: Unknown Bonsai

Ii is a dying or dead juniper. Junipers tend to die slowly from the inside out. So by the time they are showing significant browning as your is, they are probably goners.

GC is right. It is not an indoor tree. It needs cold winter dormancy and it hates dry indoor air.

Not relevant to its care, but just as a point of information, it isn't cascade style. Cascade is trained downward so that the tip of the tree is below the bottom of the container and most of the foliage is below the level of the soil. Even a semi- cascade ends up below the soil level. You could only call this a slanting style. http://www.brusselsbonsai.com/stylesofbonsai.cfm